With the bowling game in the books, Keychain, Lemon Zest, Cyber Shock, Bench Press, and Fluttershy all entered the town's local mini-mall. It wasn't anything too special, given how compact it was and how faded the colours were. But there was still plenty of variety in the shops and what they sold. A food court could be seen by one of the edges of the place, with most of its' food being fast food on trays. Regardless, there were still people sitting idly at the tables and eating their fill.
"Y'know, I've still gotta hand it to ya, Key. You always know how to make the games come close." Lemon Zest idly patted Keychain's back as the group of five waltzed through the building. "Every time. Every time, man. Bench always sets the bar and you always manage to meet it."
"Eh. It's all just a game of luck. How he managed to get all those strikes and spares back to back is beyond me." Bench just rolled his eyes as his fingers buried themselves into his pockets. "I mean, c'mon, Key. You've gotta tell me your secret on how the heck you were able to come back from that."
"To be honest, I'm still trying to figure it out myself. It's like you said. I just got really lucky back there." Keychain chuckled weakly. Bowling had never much been his forte, even though he always found it a fun time whenever he did it. "What I wanna know more is exactly how Fluttershy was able to pull that off in the last frame. I mean, there is no feasible way on this planet that a tiny little girl like her with those bumpers AND a ramp was able to get a turkey on the last frame."
"It can only mean one thing, really." Lemon Zest scratched her chin as she looked down at the tiny Fluttershy semi-sprinting to try and keep up with the others. "This girl's gonna be a fantastic sports-player when she grows up!" Lemon squatted down and pinched Fluttershy's cheeks, causing her to chuckle in response.
"I don't think she's gonna be exactly like that, Lemon." Keychain winced, trying to envision someone like Fluttershy in sports. The thought of her in one of Lemon's sports like the roller derby alone was enough for him to end his mental voyage with his head trembling from side to side.
"Oh, you worry too much. The kid's gonna have tons of fun in the world of sport when she grows up." Lemon Zest jabbed Keychain playfully in the belly with her elbow.
"I have to disagree with you on that front, Lemon. If anything, I think she'd be more into something... less stressful, like painting or calligraphy." Cyber Shock scratched his chin as he watched Fluttershy run towards the escalator, with the group following suit. "Though, at this stage, it's kind of hard to tell, really. She's still in her toddler years. Somewhere between three and four, I'd imagine. I'm not even sure if she knows how to talk properly. Or, if she can, how big her vocabulary is."
"Y'know, I'm still not so sure if shopping's really a good idea for Fluttershy here. I mean, the kid's still just a kid. If she gets lost, all sorts of mayhem's gonna break loose and I'm not gonna be drinking from that cup. No sirree bob!" Bench Press twisted his hand.
"If she gets lost. If. Seriously, Bench Press. It's not like you to get all defensive like that. You're usually so outspoken these days." Lemon Zest's eyes drifted towards Bench's.
"Well, I can't help it when Fluttershy's so tiny. Seriously, look at her!" He stretched his hands out towards Fluttershy. "The wind could blow her over in this state with how bad it is this time of the year."
Fluttershy didn't even take notice of the conversation as she waddled off around the upper level of the store with the others close by her. She just wanted to get a better grip on the area around her, see what there was to see and do what could be done. Quite a few of the shops caught her eye briefly for how bright and appealing that they were from the outside, but when she looked inside, a lot of the stuff was alien to her in both shape and concept. Often at times, she would tug at Keychain or Lemon's legs to try and get them to tell her what things were, but they were always talking whenever she wanted answers. A small pout formed on her face every single time she was turned down.
The shops that everyone went in and out of were the same as they had always been. Sports shop for Bench Press to see if he could get a deal on some new shoes lest he drench the others he had with sweat. Computer shop for Cyber Shock to see if there were any parts for his own contraptions; mostly either sold out, pending restock or an arm and a leg. Lemon Zest's was the music shop, to see if any of her favourite bands had put anything out recently. Most of the stuff that she had been hearing on the radio was far too reserved in her own words, didn't let itself go like the stuff she was into.
Keychain didn't have a personal preference of stores. He never was one to follow trends. And especially in the case of Fluttershy, where he had to constantly hold her hand or let her ride on his back whenever his friends went to peruse the items, in case she broke free and unintentionally caused some trouble. With everything that had been said and done in the morning alone, he'd had some time to think about the whole situation. Namely, about Fluttershy's parents. How long would it be before they eventually found her in Cedar Grove? How long would he have to make sure that she was safe and happy? And what if her parents never found her? How would he cope with being a father to a girl like Fluttershy in his town? Would she even handle herself in pre-school given her timid personality? Every question bubbled around in the cauldron of his mind, stirred finely like a witch's brew until it was finally broken by Fluttershy reaching over his head to tug playfully at his nostrils while Lemon Zest bought a new vinyl.
"H-hey! Fluttershy!" Keychain jumped from the ground in surprise with the sudden yanking of his nasal cavity, nearly throwing Fluttershy off in the process. She held on tight to him while he bucked, laughing as he finally stood upright and he felt her miniature fingers leaving his nose. "Y'know, for someone so small and innocent, you can be a bit of a handful at times. And I've barely even spent a day with you!"
Fluttershy again just ended up chuckling to herself as she held on tight to Keychain again as Lemon finally came out of the shop with her vinyl in a plastic bag. With everyone's stuff accounted for, the group walked off down to the food court, as their rumbling bellies spewed out a short symphony of growls.
"You know, Key. There's something else that I've been meaning to talk to you about recently. Not just that whole stuff about finding an end goal like we discussed at the bowling alley." Cyber Shock broke the silence between the two of them as they made their way towards the escalator.
"Look, if it's about the money I still owe you for accidentally blowing out your PC the other day, I'm still working on it. Come on, Cyber. You know that I'm still good for the rest." Keychain's brows lowered as he was reminded of his debts. "And in hindsight, I didn't realise that your computer would do that; even with all your firewalls."
"No, no. It's not about that at all. Though, I am still gonna have to ask for the money that you owe me, Keychain. It was a nightmare to try and salvage whatever was left of it." Cyber Shock rolled his eyes. "It's about Fluttershy. Namely, about how much you've connected with her since you found her. How much does she trust you? How much do you appreciate her?"
"Well, I barely even know her. She just waddled up to my house this morning out of nowhere, with the biggest grin on her face as if nothing was wrong." Keychain tipped his hand. "That, and when I asked her about her parents, she got real upset about the whole thing. Add to the fact that she didn't really say much to me as I showed her around and just left her with a show running, I guess you could say that we're only starting the whole adult/little kid relationship deal."
"Ah. Well, what about you, Fluttershy? What are your thoughts on Keychain here?" Cyber Shock craned his neck up to Fluttershy, hoping to pry an answer out of her. Instead, he just watched as she coiled up, her hair drooping in front of her face as if trying to hide it. "Nothing, huh? Yet she reacted to Lemon Zest after she tried to walk out onto the lane. I'm pretty sure that she's like this; this whole shy by name, shy by nature because she's scared. Not screaming and crying about things, mind you, but rather that she feels uncomfortable talking to strangers despite finding care in their presence."
"Uh, english, Cyber? You have that language, so use it." Keychain deadpanned and lifted one of his brows.
"Oh, harrumph! It's only those that choose to have it dumbed down that never see the finer details of things." Cyber Shock just tipped his hand. "Fine, then. The point is that maybe after we're done with this whole trip in the shops; when you get home, perhaps it would be nice to give Fluttershy some fun; make her feel happy with you, rather than with a show that she just happened to watch on television. Some toys you buy at the shop here or some games that you make up for her to play should be a nice starting point."
"But Cyber, I've still got a debt that I need to pay you. I can't just afford toys for Fluttershy. She might have found her parents some other day!" Keychain's arms burst out to the sides. With everything stacked up as it was and now the idea of him spending more, it was starting to look bleaker and bleaker for him as a caretaker. "Plus, have you SEEN me with kids? I can't even entertain my niece, let alone Fluttershy here!"
"And have you ever told Whitewater and Suntan that? Or given yourself a chance?" Cyber Shock got onto the escalator and rode it down with Keychain. "Key. How can you say that you're bad at something when you don't even want to try it? The evidence comes from experience, not from thoughts and doubts."
"Because I know I'm bad at it. I've tried it once, it wasn't for me, but now I've gotta do it again with Fluttershy. A kid I barely even know because she came up to me out of the blue. I'm completely sunk here, Cyber. Give me SOMETHING to work with." Keychain swung his arms downward.
"Kid. Kid. Kid. You're killing yourself here. Don't take it from me, but I think you really need to stop saying no to things and just say yes every once in a while to new things." Lemon Zest walked back over to Key's side. "I used to have a gig with kids once. Yeah, even though I wasn't very good at it, I tried to make some kind of effort I didn't just decide that I was terrible at it after one session or something like that. I was committed to keep on going. Then, when the day came that I got fired, at least I came out of it with some kind of experience." She looked up at Fluttershy and gently booped her on the nose, with the reward of a giggle from the girl for her efforts. "And besides. Fluttershy's pretty sweet when she opens up to people."
"Lemon... I'm not—"
"Yes. You are. Like it or not, Key, you're not doing yourself any favours here by trying to save some dough. Y'know, Fluttershy's gonna need some happiness when we're not around to support her. What're you gonna do when she finds out that your house is boring once the TV gets turned off and she goes exploring?"
"Lemon..." Keychain tried to keep the conversation going, but instead got a finger pressed to his lips by Lemon.
"Just try. Okay? Just try for her sake, not for yours. In fact, I think after this lunch break, we should take a stop to the local toy store and see if there's anything in particular that she wants to play with. Then, the rest is simple."
Feeling completely overwhelmed by both Lemon Zest and Cyber Shock's words, Keychain conceded defeat and shuffled his hands into his pockets. "Alright. Guess you've got me there. Cyber, you might just have to wait a bit longer for that payment I owe you."
"It's fine, Keychain. At least you have a proper excuse this time, instead of something silly like you lost the money at the races or that you misplaced it somewhere." Cyber Shock gave him a simple wave before getting in line at one of the stands. "Now come along. Our howling bellies need to be sated."
The four grown-ups all got into separate lines with their own wallets at the ready. Each of them ordered something different. Burgers, milkshakes, sides, even the occasional chicken meal were spent. Once each of their transactions had been made, everyone came together at a single table and laid out their food. A veritable banquet laid before them, yet they still ate their food and solely their food.
An extra seat had been saved for Fluttershy, but even as she sat down, she could only see the top of the table. She tried to stand up and get a better look at the situation, but her legs were still hanging high above the ground. She used her hands to try and pull herself up, but the way that she was seated made the task easier said than done. She just looked down at the ground and twiddled with her hands, knowing that she had been denied the food that the others were so enthralled by.
Then, Keychain gave Fluttershy a handful of the fries that he had been eating. Long, slender, slightly coated with salt and still hot from the fryer oil that they had been cooked in, to the point where they resembled rectangular, golden fingers more than anything. Eyes widening, Fluttershy took one of the warm fries and brought it close to her mouth, sniffing it briefly. Then, she brought it into her mouth and bit down, letting the salty exterior and potato interior combine, flavours dancing a tango on her taste buds as she continued to chew, shredding whatever remained of the fry. For a few moments, she stayed silent with her taste session before her eyes lit up and she quickly plucked the remaining chips from Keychain's hand and ate them all in a swift strike.
At least she likes the food. That's a good start... Keychain watched as Fluttershy ate the rest of the chips he had given her. He was still trying to figure out what to do with her and how he could keep her happy until he found her parents or they found her. To be totally honest with you, Fluttershy, I might just know exactly what you like. But how much it costs is the real issue. Still, whatever makes you happy I suppose...
Fluttershy decided to try to stand on the chair again. This time, she was more successful, using the wall by her side as extra support to push herself up. With her boots firmly on the chair she leaned over and got a good view of what remained. She noticed that Keychain still had a portion of his burger left over, so decided to point to it as a way of asking without speaking that she wanted to try it out.
"You want the burger, Fluttershy?" Keychain asked. "I'm not so sure if that's a good idea. I've got... a rather unique set here."
Fluttershy, undeterred by Keychain's warnings snatched the burger and brought it to her mouth. Holding it properly like a sandwich, she opened her jaws and slammed them down on the stack, obliterating whatever held the part that she had bitten into together. Many different flavours came to her this time. The meat of the patty; the urban textures of the lettuce and tomato; the sting of the onion; finally, the fire of the sauce. That was what sent her over the edge. Fluttershy ended up coughing, spitting out the remains onto the table as she did so. She brushed her tongue down with her hands before looking at the abomination that she had tried to eat, before putting her hands to her hips, leaning forward, lowering her brows and violently blowing a raspberry at it.
"And that's exactly why I said it wasn't a good idea." Keychain just took the mass from the table and dropped it in the trash bin beside him. "The rest of it seems fine enough, but it's that sriracha sauce that really gets you. I didn't think that someone of your age would like it."
Fluttershy looked up at Keychain with a frown on her face. She put her hands together and just watched as he looked back at her. He in response just reached over and patted her on the back while he gave her hair another tousle. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I didn't mean for you to get upset by that, but you have to know that eating someone else's food isn't really a good idea. You have no idea exactly what they like or what they dislike."
Fluttershy still frowned, but waddled over to Keychain over the gap in the chairs and gave him a hug, burrowing her body into his hip, wrapping her arms around his front and back, rubbing them tenderly as she felt the aftertaste of the sriracha sauce begin to wither away.
"Hey. I'll make it up to you. What's say that we go to the toy store? We'll find you something real nice and we can move on from this little shock that you had. Sound good?" He asked her, then watched as she pulled her head back out and gave him a nod.
With their meals finished, the group headed off to the local toy store. A far cry from the shops that they had already been to. A kaleidoscope of colours could accurately have described the place, with giant statues of cartoon animals standing by the doors, displays of toys and how they worked by the front, and every single packaging box and bag that the toys came in as bright as could be.
A few toys sprang to Keychain's mind when he saw how much Fluttershy fit in. He didn't even need to see her verbal cadences and facial expressions to tell how much she wanted things. He plucked out whatever he thought would make her happy, including some blocks, plush animals, a small box of crayons, and a few outfits that tailored to Fluttershy's size after a quick check. His basket was quite plump by the time he made it to the line. But as he did, he saw Fluttershy squeal in delight at something.
There, sitting in the plushy section of the shop stood a small bunny, fabric as fluffy as it looked, with a little black snout and long floppy ears. It wasn't as big as some of the others that stood by it, but it was enough for Fluttershy to run away from Keychain's side and drive herself into it, giving it a big hug and cooing to herself contently as she brought the bunny close to her chest. She gave a look back at Keychain and the others with the largest smile that she could ever muster, pointing to the doll vigorously.
"One more toy?" Keychain asked, looking at what was already in his basket. He returned his gaze to Fluttershy, watching her hum a rhythmless tune as she continued to cuddle with the bunny plushie, brushing its' fuzzy body and ears. "Well, if you're happy with it, I suppose it's alright. Come on over, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy came back over to Keychain, still holding the bunny in her arms as the two of them made their way towards the till. Keychain opened it up and pulled out his debit card. Then, he took every single toy that he and Fluttershy had, putting them on the counter. A buzzing noise came with every single can of the barcodes on each item, each one like a dagger to Key's mind as he thought about the money he had been saving vanish, lighting on fire and disintegrating each time. He scanned his card with another buzz, signalling the end of his money's time in his stead. With the purchase made and his card back in his wallet, Keychain left the shop with the toys in his basket. Fluttershy still held onto the bunny, skipping with renewed energy with it as the smile never left her face.
"You're off to a great start, Key." Lemon gave him a pat on the back and a smile of her own. "This is really gonna help when Fluttershy wants to be happy.
"I know, I know. Now the hard part is trying to make her happy with all the stuff I've got." Keychain took another look at the toys he had accrued from his little detour. "Let's just hope that we got our money's worth in there..."